The Carolina Hurricanes are focused on building their team the right way to create consistent success, while the Boston Bruins are working to block out distractions and get their season back on track. The two teams are set to face off Thursday night in Raleigh, with the trade deadline approaching the next day.
A Boston forward emphasized that the team can’t let off-ice issues affect their play, stressing the importance of performing better in their final 19 games to improve their chances of winning. The Bruins are already feeling the effects of recent moves, including trading a physical forward to Edmonton earlier in the week. One Bruins center acknowledged how tough it is to see a close friend and teammate leave but noted that it’s part of the business, even though people sometimes forget players are human too.
Despite their struggles this season, Boston is still in the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, something the players are trying to keep in mind even as they face the possibility of more changes. Another Boston center admitted that, given how inconsistent the season has been, nothing comes as a surprise anymore, and the focus has to remain on doing their jobs without stressing over things they can’t control.
Carolina, on the other hand, has started to build some momentum, winning consecutive games for the first time since late January. Their 2-1 victory over Detroit on Tuesday was full of positives in the eyes of their coach, who praised the team’s consistent effort across all three periods. He highlighted how the team didn’t give up much defensively and maintained steady pressure throughout the game.
A Carolina winger echoed the importance of that consistent effort, describing how fun it is to control the pace of play and maintain offensive zone pressure for extended stretches. He said the team needs to keep building on that momentum as they open a four-game homestand.
Boston has been struggling lately, losing seven of their last eight games, including back-to-back losses. Their latest defeat was a 6-3 home loss to Nashville on Tuesday. Their road form hasn’t been much better, with only one win in their last six games away from home. Despite that, Boston’s coach stressed the need to stay focused and continue doing their jobs.
The Bruins are also dealing with injuries, as their captain remains out week-to-week after suffering an upper-body injury in a recent game against Pittsburgh.
In goal for Carolina, it’s expected that their young netminder will get the start, continuing the rotation with their veteran goalie. That young goalie recently reached 60 career wins, the second-fastest in franchise history, behind only the veteran, who did it in fewer games.
Carolina has seen strong contributions in key areas lately. In their last game, one of their forwards won nearly all of his faceoffs, giving them a significant edge in possession.
The last time these teams met in Raleigh, Carolina dominated with an 8-2 win on Halloween. In that game, Carolina’s power play was a major factor, scoring three times, including two goals from one of their top forwards. Another forward also scored twice, contributing to the blowout victory.